Wireless mobile devices connect to a wireless network for network access. The connection to the wireless network generally requires processing within the wireless mobile device. The processing may include performing algorithms and executing routines that configure the client device, and exchange messages related to establishing and/or maintaining a session with the network. However, the nature of wireless client devices with limited battery potential requires a designer to consider the battery life of the device. The processing and overhead in simply remaining connected to a wireless network may consume a significant amount of battery life for the client device.
Platform limitations associated with traditional client devices include the need for the entire platform subsystem (processor, memory, hard drives, etc.) to be activated if a mobile platform requires always-on connectivity. The need for the entire subsystem to be activated results from the traditional platform design that loads the entire wireless subsystem (wireless hardware driver, supplicant, and credentials) on the main processor through the host operating system. The loading of the main processor consumes large amounts of power relative to the battery life. Such power consumption is particularly noticeable every time the user roams and the platform expends power to maintain wireless network connectivity.
Thus, traditional systems require a user to trade off between operating a platform in a power saving mode of operation, or maintaining network connectivity. There is no traditional ability to maintain wireless connectivity and operate in a power save mode.
Descriptions of certain details and implementations follow, including a description of the figures, which may depict some or all of the embodiments described below, as well as discussing other potential embodiments or implementations of the inventive concepts presented herein. An overview of embodiments of the invention is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.